Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). If implemented, this proposed rule would revise the commercial trip limit in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for greater amberjack. In addition, this proposed rule would revise the boundaries of several Gulf reef fish management areas to reflect a change in the seaward boundary of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi for purposes of management under the FMP to 9 nautical miles (nm). The purpose of this proposed rule and the framework action is to extend the commercial fishing season for greater amberjack by constraining the harvest rate while continuing to prevent overfishing and rebuild the stock in the Gulf, and to update the boundaries of reef fish management areas to reflect the current state boundaries.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS has received a request from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs on behalf of the University of Houston for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the THOR project in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to maintain Illex squid, longfin squid, and butterfish specifications for the 2020 fishing year and maintain the 2019 Atlantic mackerel ABC for 2020 and adjust the recreational deduction based on updated scientific advice. This action is required to promote the sustainable utilization and conservation of the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish resources.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This implements the prohibition of gillnet fishing in the Nantucket Lightship and Closed Area I Closure Areas as ordered by a Federal Court. Until further notice, gillnet fishing will be prohibited in the Nantucket Lightship and Closed Area I Groundfish Closure Areas.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This action closes the Regular B Days-at-Sea Program and prohibits the use of Regular B Days-at-Sea for all Northeast multispecies vessels for the remainder of fishing year 2019, through April 30, 2020. This action is being taken because the common pool fishery is projected to have caught 77 percent of the Incidental Catch Total Allowable Catch for Gulf of Maine Cod. We have projected that continuation of the program would undermine the achievements of the objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and the Regular B Days-at-Sea Program.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS has received a request from the United States Department of the Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to Ice Exercise 2020 (ICEX20) north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (NDAA).

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This rule implements changes to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program identified during the Catch Share Program 5- Year Review. This action is intended to modify outdated regulations, complete outstanding program elements, and respond to problems identified following implementation of the Catch Share Program. This action revises regulations consistent with Amendment 21-4 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, and revises elements in four areas of the Catch Share Program.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS publishes standard ex-vessel prices for groundfish and halibut for the calculation of the observer fee under the North Pacific Observer Program (Observer Program). This notice is intended to provide information to vessel owners, processors, registered buyers, and other Observer Program participants about the standard ex-vessel prices that will be used to calculate the observer fee for landings of groundfish and halibut made in 2020. NMFS will send invoices to processors and registered buyers subject to the fee by January 15, 2021. Fees are due to NMFS on or before February 15, 2021.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is proposing to clarify its regulation which interprets other regulations to prohibit all fishing in the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary). This is inconsistent with the applicable Sanctuary regulation that prohibits some, but not all, fishing activity in the Sanctuary. This proposed rule would revise regulations by removing the fishing prohibition text and cross-referencing the Sanctuary regulations instead.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2019 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2019 commercial quotas for North Carolina and Virginia.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the lane snapper commercial and recreational sectors in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) for the 2019 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has projected that the 2019 stock annual catch limit (ACL) for Gulf lane snapper has been met. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial and recreational sectors for Gulf lane snapper on December 13, 2019, and they will remain closed through the end of the current fishing year on December 31, 2019. These closures are necessary to protect the Gulf lane snapper resource.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is temporarily reopening the 2019 U.S. pelagic longline fishery for bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) for five days because the fishery did not catch the entire 3,554 metric ton (t) limit. This action is intended to allow the fishery to access the remainder of the available limit.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the City of Astoria to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment, marine mammals during construction activities associated with Phase Two of the Astoria Waterfront Bridge Replacement project in Astoria, OR.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management has prepared a draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for its Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), which is managed by NOAA's National Ocean Service in Silver Spring, MD, and implemented in coastal areas and marine waters of Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands, and targeted international regions including the wider Caribbean, the Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, and Micronesia. Publication of this document begins the public comment period for the draft PEIS.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The SEDAR 64 assessment process of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic yellowtail snapper will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In accordance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and a Consent Decree with BP Exploration & Production Inc. (BP),\1\ the Deepwater Horizon Federal natural resource trustee agencies for the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group (Open Ocean TIG) have prepared a Draft Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA). The Draft RP/EA describes and proposes restoration project alternatives considered by the Open Ocean TIG to restore natural resources and ecological services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Open Ocean TIG evaluated these alternatives under criteria set forth in the OPA natural resource damage assessment regulations, and also evaluated the environmental consequences of the restoration alternatives in accordance with NEPA. The proposed projects are consistent with the restoration alternatives selected in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS). The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Final RP II/EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an exempted fishing permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This permit would allow Coonamessett Farm Foundation to test the selectivity of alternate gillnet configurations to target haddock while reducing catch of other groundfish species. Regulations under the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed exempted fishing permits.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Notice is hereby given that three applicants have applied in due form for a permit to take Atlantic (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose (Acipenser brevirostrum) sturgeon for purposes of scientific research.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational sector for the snapper-grouper deep-water complex (yellowedge grouper, silk snapper, misty grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish, and blackfin snapper) in the South Atlantic for the 2019 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that recreational landings of the deep-water complex have exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for this complex on December 11, 2019, through the remainder of the 2019 fishing year in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is necessary to protect the species in the deep-water complex.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this notice to inform the public that there will be an increase of the fee rate required to repay the $35,000,000 reduction loan financing the non-pollock groundfish fishing capacity reduction program. Effective January 1, 2020, NMFS is increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.021 per pound to ensure timely loan repayment. The fee rate for Loan B will remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This action provides participants in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Trawl Rationalization Program with the 2020 fee percentages and MS pricing needed to calculate the required payments for the cost recovery fees due in 2020. For calendar year 2020, NMFS announces the following fee percentages by sector specific program: 3.00 percent for the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program; 0.29 percent for the MS Co-op Program; and 0.08 percent for the Catcher/Processor Co-op (CP) Program. For 2020, the MS pricing to be used as a proxy by the CP Co-op Program is: $0.08/lb for Pacific whiting.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This rule requires commercial groundfish bottom longline vessels 26 feet (7.9 meters (m)) length overall and longer managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan to use streamer lines while setting gear or to set gear between civil dusk and civil dawn (night set) when fishing in Federal waters north of 36[deg] North latitude. The action is necessary to fulfill terms and conditions of a 2017 United States Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion to minimize incidental take of Endangered Species Act-listed short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) by vessels in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. This rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, and other applicable laws, including the Endangered Species Act.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals over the course of five years (2020-2025) incidental to conducting construction activities related to development of a new ammunition pier at Seal Beach, California. As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations to govern that take, and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorization and will summarize and respond to such comments in the final notice of our decision.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

At the request of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), this notice announces a control date of December 10, 2019, that may be used as a reference date for a future management action to limit future access to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Pacific cod pot catcher/processor sector. This notice is intended to promote awareness of possible rulemaking and provide notice to the public that any participation in the BSAI Pacific cod pot catcher/processor sector after the control date may not ensure continued access to this fishery under a future management action. This notice is also intended to discourage speculative entry into this fishery while the Council considers whether and how access to the fishery may be further limited under a future management action.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to the Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo (Bill Zeigler, Responsible Party), 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, to import up to three bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) for public display.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is correcting a final rule that published on October 15, 2019, issuing regulations to implement catch handling and monitoring requirements to allow Pacific halibut (halibut) bycatch to be sorted on the deck of trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) and motherships participating in the non-pollock groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The final rule incorrectly stated that the collection-of-information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) had been approved by the Office of Management and Business (OMB) at the time the final rule was published. The final rule also inadvertently omitted amendatory language to remove a now obsolete and unnecessary regulation. The intent of this final rule is to make corrections and to stay the effectiveness of associated collection-of-information requirements.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS has received a request from the United States Navy for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of five species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction associated with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Dry Dock 1 modification and expansion in Kittery, Maine. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA was effective from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020. The Navy has requested re-issuance with new effective dates of March 1, 2020, through February 28, 2021. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS implements management measures described in Amendment 42 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 42), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council). This final rule adds three new devices to the Federal regulations as options for fishermen with Federal commercial or charter vessel/ headboat permits for South Atlantic snapper-grouper to meet existing requirements for sea turtle release gear, and updates the regulations to simplify and clarify the requirements for other sea turtle release gear. This final rule also modifies the FMP framework procedure to allow for future changes to release gear and handling requirements for sea turtles and other protected resources. The purpose of this final rule is to allow the use of new devices to safely handle and release incidentally captured sea turtles, clarify existing requirements, and streamline the process for making changes to the release devices and handling procedures for sea turtles and other protected species.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

We, NMFS, announce the initiation of a status review of queen conch (Strombus gigas) to determine whether listing the species as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is warranted. A comprehensive status review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. Therefore, we are asking the public to provide information on the queen conch that will inform our status review.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2019 commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for North Carolina and Rhode Island.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

We, NMFS, have determined that a designation of critical habitat is not prudent at this time. Based on a comprehensive review of the best scientific data available, we find that there are no identifiable physical or biological features that are essential to the conservation of the giant manta ray within areas under U.S. jurisdiction. We also find that there are no areas outside of the geographical area occupied by the species under U.S. jurisdiction that are essential to its conservation. As such, we find that there are no areas within the jurisdiction of the United States that meet the definition of critical habitat for the giant manta ray.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS has received a request from Point Blue Conservation Science (Point Blue) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to seabird research activities in central California over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of Point Blue's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on Point Blue's application and request.

Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

``In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC (Skipjack) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys offshore of Delaware in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0519) and along potential submarine cable routes to a landfall location in Delaware or Maryland.